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History · History Rank #387 of 389

Historyat Baylor University

Graduates earn $20,391/yr in their first year — about 37.0% below the national History average. Base-case 10-year earnings $628K; scenarios range from $567K to $643K depending on AI disruption.

Waco, TX Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
23 AT RISK
23
Optimistic
22
Pessimistic
Earnings
$20,391
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.5x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$628K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Baylor University

Baylor's History program provides a robust liberal arts foundation, but its financial outcomes reflect the broader reality for many humanities degrees. Graduates often find themselves in roles where their critical thinking and research skills are highly valued, yet the direct vocational pipeline for history majors often leads to careers requiring advanced degrees, like postsecondary teaching or archival work, or to entry-level positions in sectors like education, non-profits, or government, which may have more modest starting salaries. The Waco job market, while growing, doesn't present a high density of immediate, high-paying opportunities directly aligned with an undergraduate history degree. Many successful alumni pivot into management, leveraging their analytical abilities. To maximize your financial outlook, proactively seek internships that bridge history with business or policy, or consider combining your degree with a minor in a more vocational field.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$567K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score22/100
Earnings Multiple2.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$628K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple2.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$643K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score23/100
Earnings Multiple2.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Baylor University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where History graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
3
History teachers, postsecondary
-0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$81,500/yr
High
4
Historians
+2.2% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$74,050/yr
Moderate
5
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
6
Curators
+7.0% 10-yr growth · 1,800 openings/yr
$61,770/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering History

How Baylor University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Dartmouth College
NH · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
2.6x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
57
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
Same state (TX)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
TX · Public
64
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Top score
Amherst College
MA · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Yale University
CT · Private nonprofit
47
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
1.1x
ROI
Also at Baylor University

Other top programs at Baylor University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Baylor University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in History offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare History trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about History at Baylor University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for History at Baylor University?

A score of 23/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for History. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Is History at Baylor University worth the student debt?

Median debt of $24,625 against $20,391/yr starting salary means roughly 1.2 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.

Will AI replace History careers?

With 44% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $567,413 in decade earnings vs $642,565 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with History from Baylor University?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.